Fishhook



J. J. GALL FISHHOOK Filed Nov. 12, 1940 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented May 6,1941

umrao sTAras PATENT OFFICE rrsnnoox Jacob Jay Gall, Punta Gorda, Fla. Application November 12, 1940, s iarmzseasso 5 Claims. 431a) This invention relates to fishhooks, one of the objects being to provide a means whereby it becomes impossible for a fish, after being caught, to work loose from the hook.

Another object is to provide a fishhook with a latch 0! novel construction which can be applied .to lures of the spoon type and will not interfere with the action or the hook while being used for fishing.

A still further object is to provide a latching means which is simple and compact in construction as well as efilci'ent in operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details or construction and combinations of parts hereinaiter more iully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of a lure of the spoon type provided with the present improvements, 8. portion being broken away.

Figure 2is a vertical longitudinal section, the latch being shown pressed out or normal position while a fish is being hooked.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on line 3-3, Figure 1.

Referring to the figures by characters of re!- erence, I designates a lure of the spoontype' from one end of which is extended a stem 2 which is fixedly joined to the lure and has an eye 3 connected thereto by a swivel joint 4.

This eye is adapted to be engaged by one end of a line L.

Stem 2 can be complete initself or, if pre Ierred, and as shown in the drawing, can be made up of one end of the shank 5 of a fishhook, this shank being extended along the center of and soldered or otherwise joined to the lure while the hook portion 6 is extended beyond one end 01 the lure and has a laterally extended barb I cooperating with the adjacent portion of the hook to form a crotch 8.

A post 9 is mounted on the lure and is sub stantially perpendicular thereto, this post being held fixedly in position in anysuitable manner as by means of solder Ill. The post has a-longitudinal slot ll extending therethrough, this slot being'closed at both ends so that a stop or abutment I2 is formed by one end wall of the slot. 1

A coiled spring I3 is seated in the post and bears at one end against a latch in the form 0! elongated stiff wire the front end of which is pivotally connected to the lure as shown at II. This latch is held normally pressed against the stop I 2 by the spring I3, a shown particularly in Figures 1 and 3 and when it is thus located, the free end portion of the'latch is seated in the crotch 8 as shown in Figure l.

The lure can be provided with the usual weed guards or fingers l6.

Under normal conditions, and as before'stated, the latch I4 is seated in the crotch 8. When a fish takes the hook 6 it presses the latch toward the lure I and against the action of spring H as the hook penetrates the head of the fish. As the head slips along the hook it finally moves past the endo! the latch H which thus is released and will promptly snap back to position against the stop or abutment I! so that the latch thus prevents the hook from being with drawn accidentally from engagement with the fish.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a lur'e having a hook edly mounted on the lure, said latch being slid- 'able along and limited in its movement by the post, and a spring in thepost and bearing against the latch.

3. The combination with a lure having a hook fixed relative thereto, 01 a latch hinged at one end to the lure and normally positioned at its other end close to the point of the hook, a fixed p st on the lure constituting a guide and stop for the latch, and yielding means for holding the latch in normal position.v v

4. The combination with a lure having a hook fixed relative thereto, 0! a latch hinged at one end to the lure and normally positioned at its other end close to the point 01' the hook, a fixed post on the lure constituting a guide and stop for the latch, and a spring in the post and bearing against the latch.

5. The combination with a lure having a hook I fixed relative thereto, 01 a latch carried by the the latch. I I

JACOB JAY GAIL, 

